Statement From Rep. Reitz Regarding Governor's Budget Address

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ State Rep. Dan Reitz (D-Steeleville) issued the following statement Wednesday in response to the Governor's proposed budget:

"The governor's budget address is only a template for us to start the legislative process of crafting a balanced budget for the state of Illinois. We have implemented a new Budgeting For Outcomes procedure this year that will basically start each agency from zero, rather than simply allowing them to ask for more than the previous year.

"I believe the Governor's budget would exceed the mandatory spending caps we implemented last session, so we must still make an additional $800 million in cuts.

"The budget process will be a very difficult this year, but I believe more spending cuts along with additional budget reforms will put us on the road to financial stability and a balanced budget in four years."